While there are numerous control devices for controlling individual lights and appliances in accordance with predetermined programs, little progress has been made to control the turning “on and off” of circuitry connected to wall-mounted switches. Many of those that have been developed appear to be either cumbersome in operation or necessarily “hardwired” to the existing circuitry connected to the switch. Such prior art control devices are inconvenient when the user wants to operate the switch manually because access to the switch requires complete removal of the timer control device.
One control device that addressed many of the drawbacks of early attempts at providing for a switch controlling device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,362 (“the '362 patent”), which is incorporated herein by reference. The '362 patent discloses a timer controller device that can be mounted against the face plate of a wall-mounted toggle switch without additional fasteners or accessories and allows for the manual or automatic manipulation of the toggle switch without removal of the timer control device. However, the timer control device of the '362 patent is designed specifically for a toggle switch.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a timer control device which satisfactorily addresses the shortcomings of prior art devices.